current status: semi stunned

FINALLY! I'm done with my money and cap assignment. typed over 2800 words in about 9 hours plus. blearghh now i'm so sick of the words *Asian Bond Funds*...

A plus side - long weekend ahead. For those not in M'sia, FYI we're having 4 days break from tomorrow onwards till Tuesday, for Labour Day, Wesak etc.. Traffic on the roads today seemed exceptionally high, prob everyone who can afford to (in terms of time) wants to leave this mad mad place we call home, if only for a day or two.. i wish...

take a look at the transcript from Tim Russell's "Meet the Press" at http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4829855/
GUESTS: Bob Woodward, Washington Post and Prince Bandar bin Sultan, Saudi Ambassador to the United States

Went to see this site I haven't seen in ages - Drew Struzan's site at www.drewstruzan.com
Basically Drew an artist who's developed a wide range of movie posters, book covers, cd covers ie Blade Runner, ET, Indiana Jones etc. Sigh it has changed so much.Now his whole portfolio's offline and there're only a few images available for preview... Drew produced most of the covers for my beloved Star Wars books and also all the Star Wars official movie posters. Really like his works...too bad can't view most of it anymore..

hmm tonight A&W? is root beer a source of caffeine?? I wonder.

anyways sometimes i think the world's pretty distorted, bcos my mini brain is slowing down, dulling of senses etc due to acute sleep deprivation at the moment. But I refuse to sleep now. If I do, I'd probably wake on Sunday and be thinking its Tuesday.

as usual!

yups, am taking a break from some numb-minding work. My brain's about to freeze or something at the moment. =(

funny last night(early this morning) I was actually dreaming about finance stuff, cos I was up late reading through some articles. Thats like so saddening le.... last thoughts before going to bed were all about bonds, capital markets etc. Its a horrible habit to be perpetually doing things so late, but I seem to concentrate on matters at hand only when they're just about due..and unlike others, I can't just open up Words and start typing. I have to have a rather clear idea of the outline (logic of arguments etc), else I'd just start all over again...

After submitting the assignment, hopefully will have a session of yamcha with the usual ppl tmrw night... (Sam if you happen to be reading this, remember yesterday what you said eh? we are all optimistic people hahahhha.. still waiting...)

Check this out

Gmail, google's new experimental email is offering a whopping 1000 megabytes of storage! Just signed up for an account to try it out. There are privacy concerns, thats why I think they're not fully releasing it yet.. How it works is, they scan through your email and post ads *relevant* to your email contents (no pop up ads). Though in the privacy agreement, Google states that no human will read users' mails, privacy advocates esp in Europe etc are up in arms over this. They say that Gmail users may have consented to it when signing up, but not the ppl who email them. Hmm shall see what happens.. If the system works fine, don't see why I shan't have an account there when hotmail gives me a miserly 2 MBplus..

stray thoughts -
>whoever said Malaysians don't read?? I guess they should've been to the MPH warehouse sale last weekend. Its not that we don't read, its prob the price of the books thats putting us off from reading. I was telling myself *control, control...* but ended up being so undecided on which books to get..ahahhah I stood there thinking of "opportunity cost", as in which book should I sacrifice for my greater pleasure... Eesh there's like, dozens of books I've been eyeing, but can't afford cos rather broke these 2 months (work! i need to work!)..sobbb..only gotten a few books plus *lemony snicket's book the first-The Bad Beginning* (couldn't resist..) =P

...

The tree forsakes not the flower - the flower falls from the tree..

yamcha!

Went up genting for yamcha today,a day trip. Instead of spending my day on research due, I ended up there hehhe.. It was a nice respite from KL's stifling humidity, but it continued to rain up there, so couldn't get shots of some outdoor places. Plus side was they've got Wi-Fi there..Bus to and fro was packed and we were driven all the way up to first world, cos the skyway was undergoing maintenance =) i much prefer to NOT take the cable car...oh, and the coffee....

been reflecting these few days that time passes so swiftly. Hours and minutes just seem to whirl by.. these coupla weeks a few friends are back in town. we've been talking about going here and there makan, doing this and that. but there's always the issue of timing..things we wanted to do since ages ago (ie redBOX!) has been put off all these while.. time time time..i believe, there's no such thing as *no time*, one just has to learn to *make the time* to do whatever needs to be done..next up for me - planning!

last one - point to ponder: why is it, that wth the invention and widespread usage of computers and increasingly sophisticated technology available to mankind, ppl seem to work more than before?

Finally..

finally! Gotten the comments thingy done. Was abit frus cos I couldn't get the spacing right..had to keep previewing the blog so many times..me and my mini brain..sigh..

Discovered something interesting today. I don't have a garden (its all tiled up), and we have some potted plants/small-ish trees around the compound. I just found a bird's nest in one of the trees, with 2 eggs in it! but I wonder, what'll happen to the poor bird, cos its been raining almost everyday, and it absolutely pours here..the nest's made out of the usual stuff, plus some plastic strips..looks rather quaint.. it isn't that small actually. I haven't noticed the bird before (since I hardly take the time to go notice), shall be taking note of (any) progress..

Hopefully this Friday will have something alittle out of the ordinary to do..with all the public holidays coming up next month, there's gonna be alotof replacement classes (and i suppose, most on saturdays..?)..
TIME, i need more time!!

Questions. more questions..

Capital adequacy guidelines, deregulation or Asian Bond Fund? I'm supposed to have it all figured out by now..

and why in the world, that on a weeknite, at 1 plus in the morning, when I'm leaving murni, there's actually someone waiting for my parking spot?? amazing..

Friday! so soon...?

hols are ending just like that.

Spent some time yesterday reading..am quite glad I now "agak-agak" know how to use *Photoshop album*.. and also a little editing..but am abit confused with some auto-color stuff in photoshop. changed my settings (perhaps shouldn't have done so)..will have to figure something out soon...

Yesterday, or rather, early today, finally set up CQ Counter..had to keep previewing this blog while adding it cos I wasn't sure where the logo was gonna end up, and it all ended up as *referrals*..hmm... Wanted to put it somewhere inconspicious ie at the bottom of the page, but due to me being *html-illiterate*, I guess its just going to stay where it is for the time being..my mini brain has limited capacity, so can't be learning everything at once...

here's something nice..not political/gripes..

She Walks In Beauty
She walks in beauty, like the night
Of cloudless climes and starry skies;
And all that’s best of dark and bright
Meet in her aspect and her eyes:
Thus mellow’d to that tender light
Which heaven to gaudy day denies.

One shade the more, one ray the less,
Had half impair’d the nameless grace
Which waves in every raven tress,
Or softly lightens o’er her face;
Where thoughts serenely sweet express
How pure, how dear their dwelling-place.

And on that cheek, and o’er that brow,
So soft, so calm, yet eloquent,
The smiles that win, the tints that glow,
But tell of days in goodness spent,
A mind at peace with all below,
A heart whose love is innocent!

-Lord Byron

*listening to edison's new album, current track featuring MC Yan n Ip Pui Man...great track! =)

blah-ings plus more..

I need a scanner, I need a scanner, I need a scanner!!!
Yes, I really need a scanner now. Got tons of pictures to scan, and reluctant to get one now. Pc Fair's this weekend, but I wouldn't get one just yet....and i believe uni doesn't have one, serious. After all, they don't have any art/design courses so its not unusual for them not to provide one...I shall survive without one for the moment..

am supposed to be doing some work right now.. but as usual, am procrastinating and delaying everything till the last moment (i'm not supposed to be doing that right now!) ahhg...anyways was wondering who actually reads this blog of mine...? I used to mass mail to update friends, but since I've started blogging, hv stopped doing that. i guess its up to them whether they read this blog anot (as a sort of update of my little life)..i would've stopped blogging if nobody reads these stuff, but thanks to a someone whom i know does regularly,i'm continuing (for the moment)- u know who u are..

anyways, came across something from *options* (Apr5,04), Kam Raslan's reply to a Q. (no copyright infringement intended!!):

Q: Dear Kam,
Why does a new Toyota Camry cost RM160,000 in Msia but only USD20,000 (RM75,800) in the US? Why are we making cars in Msia? And why isn't the energy-friendly Toyota Prius available in Msia?
Mucho Curante Poco Comprende, Kuala Lumpur

A: Greater minds than our have tried to tackle these difficult questions. It is said that one of Nostradamus' visions can explain why. It is also said that maybe the reknowned physicist Dr Stephen Hawking (of the wheelchair and Super String Theory fame) could one day discover the General Unifying Principle which may help us understand our universe a little better and also help us understand why cars are so damn expensive in Msia. So far, all he has been able to deduce is that "it's got something to do with Protons".

Actually, the reason cars are more expensive in Msia than in America is very simple - it's because we are a much richer nation than America. Car prices are set at these rates because they want to encourage us to use the magnificent public transport system. It is now possible in KL to travel on the LRT from one end of town to the other and only change trains once, get out of one system, cross a busy road, buy a new ticket, get into a carriage that was especially designed for particularly small Asians before arriving at the final station where you can then either queue for a taxi or use the new "Teleporter" booths that will disassemble and then amazingly reassemble all the atoms in your body and get you where you wanted to go in the first place.

As for why we make cars in Msia, well, it's done now. The decision was made and now too many people's livelihoods depend on it. There's no going back. Maybe one day local cars will be able to stand up on their own against other cars on a level playing field. I guess 20 years is not enough time. Maybe another 20 will do it.

I asked Toyota why it hasn't introduced the Prius into Msia and it said it would like to but the local market is too small and hasn't the infrastructure to deal with such an advanced car. The Prius is a new hybrid car that mixes a gas-powered engine with battery power. Maybe one day we'll see cars like this in Msia.

Which leads me to a complaint about the cars we buy in Msia - why are all new cars automatics? I hate automatics, especially in cheap cars. I hate having to wait half an hour after accelerating up a hill for the car to decide to shift into a new gear. I enjoy changing gears because it gives my left leg some exercise. And why do most automatics only come with two gears - one for forward and one for reverse? It is virtually impossible to overtake while driving an automatic unless the car in front is stationary.

The reason we are being overwhelmed by automatics is because importers would love to be able to sell us just one model of car. Life would be easier for them if we all drove the same model because they would only have to stock one set of spare parts. I wouldn't mind if this made spare parts cheaper, but it doesn't.

END.

phew! that was long. I guess KL-ites/PJ-ites have got gripes abt our public transport system.. I'm not begrudging those who have cars, after all, its at the top of the wish list for most who can afford one (or more). I guess the powers in charge could do well to personally go to ground (ie just like in chinese tv dramas, where the emperor puts on commoners clothes and check out whats happening in their lives =P )..instead of taking helicopters to survey the traffic situation, I'd be really happy to see them experiencing public transport at its peak hours ie 6pm on weekdays. And no, it shouldn't be the case where officials *reserve* a carriage/ bus to take them around. Its a matter of experiencing what thousands of *rakyat* does daily to get to/back to their offices/homes. Seriously, those who've never taken public buses or are chauffered around should really do this..at least u'll then have an idea of what's running through the mind of the *average rakyat*...oops enough bout traffic..i blog abt it often enough..

...was at Dave's yesterday for a late lunch..its been ages since I've been there, and nothing has changed (cept for minor changes to menu n prices)..the decor's still purplish (which i like) and food was okay.. If I was in a fussy mood yesterday, I would've left right after my order came. Cos a baby cockroach somehow found its way onto our table (not into my food) when my order arrived =( . The waitress nonchalantly flicked it away and didn't even bother apologising. I was aghast, but because it was my friend's birthday, didn't want to make any fuss..some ppl say mamak unhygienic etc but i guess its the same with nice restaurants..

QOTD:
Fear less, hope more;
Whine less, breathe more;
Talk less, say more;
Hate less, love more;
And all good things are yours.
-Anonymous

Site to see..

go to this link: http://www.wdw.nl/ENG/text/projects/smithsons/fr_smithsons.htm
The site highlights this exhibition by *ALISON AND PETER SMITHSON from the House of the Future to a house of today*..

Bukit Tinggi

Just got back from a very HOT bukit tinggi..Went up yesterday for one night. At first, we were supposed to stay at Meranti apartments, but they upgraded all of us and we ended up staying at Bkt Tinggi Golf Resort.

What did we do there? not much. I expected slightly cool weather but it was really sunny, the same stifling heat we have in KL. Its really quiet there (where we stayed).. walked around, took some pics, the usual le...After dinner, went bowling and then spent the better part of the night bumming beside the pool watching the stars and *pok-pek*ing wth ppl..AND, i managed to see a shooting star! the streak of light was so clear =) Its been quite some time since I saw any..always something special..

Today. after checking out we all went up to Colmar Tropicale. Slight disappointment on my part, as I thought it was gonna be larger. Basically its just one street. There's this nice spot to take pics, right in front of the mini fountain, but unfortunately today they set up this tent (to showcase some Hangzhou acrobatic show) right in front of it, which totally obscured the view. Only took a coupla pics....simply cos there's nothing much to capture on camera...also visited the japanese garden and the rabbit farm..not much to see..spiders, large centipede/millipede, lotsa green stuff (thats real good for the eyes), and really really bloated koi fish (they look as if they're gonna explode if they eat more!)

gtg now. blog more later..

*miniee- Happy Easter to u too! have a great week! love, di.

Something I keep in mind..

We are challenged on every hand to work untiringly to achieve excellence in our lifework. Not all men are called to specialized or professional jobs; even fewer rise to the heights of genius in the arts and sciences; many are called to be labourers in factories, fields and streets. But no work is insignificant. All labour that uplifts humanity has dignity and importance and should be undertaken with painstaking excellence. If a man is called a street sweeper, he should sweep even as Michelangelo painted, or Beethoven composed music, or Shakespeare wrote poetry. He should sweep streets so well that all the host of Heaven and earth will pause to say, "Here lived a great street sweeper who did his job well."

-Martin Luther King

KL oh KL (@PJ oh PJ)

KL, my beloved KL..
what do we have here that deserves mention in this blog...?

For one, we probably can claim the title of *storm-iest* city in the world with all the storms we've been having of late (thats one for the Msian Book of Records to consider).. Some ppl love thunderstorms. Me, not really. "Gale-force" winds and incessant rain isn't my idea of fun..imagine being stuck in a peak hour jam at that time..kesian those poor ppl.

Mamaks! KL/PJ definitely has more than its fair share of 'em..Part of my life for the last coupla years..gosh i should've taken pictures of Murni yesterday. Seriously I wonder, is this where most young-ish people spend the better part of their day?? Where do all those ppl come from?? The crowd's still SO large at the late hour, murni's boss must be laughing all the way to the bank! also, passed by Pelita just now, looked at their calendar and its listed there that they have 16 (SIXTEEN!) shops across Penang, besides the one in PJ! no wonder we Malaysians are so attached to these places.. After all, where can one go and hv some tea under the starry starry night while watching *souped-up* cars zoom past every once in a while?...

Traffic- KL and PJ are undisputable champions of traffic flow in the country (in my opinion). One doesn't have to go far to witness this sight. Sometimes when I'm on the LDP, this vision of Bangkok/Jakarta's infamous traffic crawls keep popping into my mind. When the LDP's traffic (from PJ heading to Sunway) comes to a standstill at 2pm (yes, 2 in the afternoon), I begin to wonder- whether we are degenerating into further levels of traffic chaos.. is that an ideal situation and what can anybody do about it? Government decides to build more highways to criss-cross KL/PJ as a result. Last week, I had the opportunity to travel on the New Pantai Expressway (before they started collecting toll) and while I agree the new highway looks good, with its sweeping curves and elevated lanes (you have to pay RM1.60 to enjoy those curves and lanes now =P ) , I'm still my cynical self, predicted it would still be *jammed*. What do I read in the papers next?- that when toll collection began on Apr2, long queues formed at the toll stations. Perhaps that could be due to ppl not being aware toll collection had started.. but, just have a look at the Sprint highway during peak hours where we pay toll to be caught in a jam with thousands of other cars..everybody's *kiasu-ism* peaks at that time, when we try our best to *outsprint* other cars to any further available space..i guess thats now the Malaysian mentality (me included)..some ppl'll just say-take public transport aje! The ppl who say that haven't experienced the *joys/trials/tribulations* involved in taking public transportation. It is certainly an experience not to be forgotten when u are squeezed like sardines in public buses/LRTs, not to mention the sometimes very long process of waiting for buses to show up in the first place.. and thats precisely the reason why many would rather drive (if they can afford it), hence contributing further to traffic on the road. Results in this vicious cycle...which leads to me blogging this *cheong-hei* paragraph! will things ever change for the better? I don't know.

"Things don't change. You change your way of looking, that's all."
-Carlos Castaneda-

a week flies past

one week's over just like that..arghhh its Week5 this week and I can hardly believe my easter break's coming up in about a week's time. Breaks are good, but better if I didn't have assignment deadlines looming ahead..

Watched Drew Barrymore and Adam Sandler's "50 First Dates" yesterday..corny but quite fun..seldom go to the movies these days, due to horrendous crowds during the weekend..weekdays are much better to do these kindof things... have got a v. short trip to Bkt Tinggi lined up next Sunday, hopefully it'll turn out. Then i'll get to feast my eyes on some *green stuff*! ie some nice trees and lil flowers..?.....